Wilmington, NC News

Archive for December, 2013

WILMINGTON, NC (AP) — In a new Associated Press poll, a large number of Americans are ready to wave goodbye to 2013.

The AP-Times Square New Year’s Eve Poll was conducted several weeks ago and included online interviews from 1,367 adults.

On the whole, Americans rate their experience in 2013 more positively than negatively, but when asked to assess the year for the United States or the world at large, things turn sour.

2013 was full of national headlines. The implementation of the healthcare law topped the list of most important news stories of the year. In an AP survey of news directors and editors, nearly half said the health care rollout was their top story.

The death of former South African President Nelson Mandela occurred as the poll was underway, but rose quickly with 8 percent naming it as the most important story of the year.

The budget fight, which led to a partial shutdown of the federal government in October was rated extremely or very important by 60 percent of Americans, and prompted rare bipartisan agreement.

A majority said the Boston Marathon bombings were extremely or very important, and 47 percent considered the national debate over gun laws that important.

In pop culture news, who could forget Miley Cyrus’s jaw dropping, foam finger performance at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, or how about the kitchen queen Paula Deen’s tearful apology.

More Americans say these pop culture moments were more forgettable than memorable.

The birth of Prince George to Britain’s Prince William and his wife, Kate was the only pop culture moment deemed more memorable than forgettable.

Where will you be spending your New Year’s Eve?

According to the same poll….54 percent of Americans say they’ll be ringing in the New Year at home, while 1 in 5 are heading to a friends or family member’s house. Only 8 percent say they’ll go to a bar, restaurant or another organized event.